Wolf's Pack, Lion's Pride
by mira ff
Summary: Esthar has hired Squall and his gang to find a new energy source. But what happens when that source is on Gaia? And what happens when the SeeDs meet a group called AVALANCHE?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

**So I decided to go the crossover route! I hope everyone likes 7 and 8 :D**

**Special thanks to ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie who is generously beta-ing this for me. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!**

**...OH! Disclaimer: I do not own either FF7 or FF8...or any other FF titles in general. Plot is mine.**

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The wind caught the air easily and dragged it through the tiny blades of grass and yellow flowers scattered across the field. He watched carefully, icy eyes stiff on the landscape, but his face became soft as he looked over to his side. _She's so carefree._ He moved closer and stopped to sit down next to her, his hands feeling the edges of grass grazing his callused skin. "You like it here?"

The girl giggled and flicked back her dark black hair, "That's a silly question." She dropped onto the ground, letting her smooth hair become messy in the dirt. Her pale face turned to the left to face him, "It's been three months since I found you here."

He didn't speak, not exactly sure what she was getting at.

"Three months of _us_."

This caught his attention. The boy grabbed her hand, wanting a connection but not knowing exactly what to say.

She rested her head in her hands, flipping onto her stomach. Her melodic laugh filled the area, "I always knew you would like me."

"What makes you say that?"

She shrugged, "How you were always so cold…I was destined to open you up." The girl gently rubbed his light brown hair. "Come on!" The girl pulled his reluctant figure up, dragging him around the field, "You work too hard sometimes, always leading…aren't you tired of it?"

_A little. But I have to do it._ He simply shrugged, "I don't mind."

"But I do!" The girl's brown eyes became frustrated as she heard the slight ring from the boy's pocket.

He held up one finger, telling her to wait a moment. "Hello?" His blue eyes glanced to the girl, "Yeah, she's here with me. Yes, sir. We will report there immediately."

* * *

She fumbled through the dishes, collecting the empty mugs and leftover cereal bowls. A bit of milk spilled on the wooden floor as she shuffled the porcelain dishware to the sink. The brunette sighed, pushed back her dark brown bangs, and brought out the wet rag. The stain soon left the floor, and she proceeded back to washing the left over dishes. The mutterings of footsteps drew her attention away from the daily chore. An unforced smile soon formed on her face as she watched the blonde travel into the room, head down, looking incredibly preoccupied in his own thoughts. "Hi," she said softly, her voice warm and gentle.

The blonde looked up and gave her a partially friendly expression. "Hey." He took an empty mug from the cupboard and poured a stream of hot water from the kettle. The black tea bag was gently dipped into the warm liquid. "Where are the kids?"

"Playing outside." She continued scrubbing at the bowl, wondering what kind of cereal could possibly stick to the outer rim like that. Her chest began to get heavy. It always did when he was in the room with her. "You have a lot of deliveries today?"

"Not really." He sat down at the small kitchen table, "Only two in Kalm."

The proximity of his destination got her a little excited. "So you should be back early? Before five?"

"…Yeah. You're opening the bar early?"

She nodded and placed the dishes on the side drying rack, watching the cool water drip from the bowls and run back into the sink, "Yeah." She couldn't look at him too much. She would have _liked _to, but she couldn't. It wasn't helpful. There was no point. "There having a little WRO celebration here."

"Oh?" The blonde kept sipping his tea. She felt his light blue eyes on her frame.

"Yeah, shouldn't be anything too out of the ordinary. It might just be a little crowded. I could use some help."

He gave a light smile, "Of course. I'll be here to help you."

Her face immediately became warm from his words. She ran her cold, wet hands against her cheekbones, a sad attempt at masking the imminent flush.

* * *

"Our help?"

The taller figure turned back to the girl and grabbed her hand. The wind seemed to increase its speed as they walked through the field, back to the car they managed to 'borrow' a week before. "Yeah…he said it was urgent."

He felt his arm suddenly lunge back as the girl stopped, her hand still clamped to his own. "Be nicer than that."

"…What?"

But she didn't fall for his seemingly indifferent expression. She pulled him closer to her, lips making a small pout. "Don't pretend you don't know! You need to be nice to him. Especially because…he is your…"

"Like you're any nicer to yours?" He shook his head. _She doesn't know anything about me and him. _The thought only made his voice rougher_. _"You aren't exactly one to talk."

He felt the weight of her hand release as her arm fell back to her side. "I just know what it's like to have such a bad relationship like that. I don't want you to either."

"Whatever." He glanced down to her face, wondering if that word had any effect on her. The girl didn't look up. "Let's just go. I'll talk to him."

The sudden weight of her small body almost threw him off balance. His leather military boots dug deep into the fertile soil around him. "I knew you would," She headed directly to the car, reaching back for his hand.

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­­

The little girl's feet only skimmed the surface of the hardwood floor, not yet long enough to get a full grip on the surface. "He's coming back soon though, isn't he?"

"He's just talking with Cid. They need to work out how much the workers are going to get paid." The blonde was still drinking his tea, and his focus darted from the small delivery slips to the two children across from him. "It's hard nowadays. People need money but your dad doesn't exactly have any to offer them. But we need the oil soon if we want this economy to get back on track."

The little girl blinked and grabbed her braid from behind her back. Her hands trailed down the glossy twisted hair, seemingly upset. "Oh... Well I just hope he gets back soon!"

"You don't like it here?" The boy next to her asked. He took a bite of the apple handed to him from the older brunette.

She shook her head. "I just miss my papa."

"I know, sweetie." The older woman gently patted her hair and sat down next to her and the man. "But until he comes back, we'll be your family. Right?" Her gaze went from the girl back to the blonde.

He smiled and gave a slight nod, not as comfortable with the statement as she was. "I'm gonna get going." He rummaged through his pockets and withdrew his goggles.

The boy spoke up, "Will you be gone long?"

"Back before dinner. Be good." The chair squeaked as he shifted from his sitting position to standing. The spikes of light yellow were still ruffled chaotically, but the speeding wind on the road would soon fix that.

Her reddish brown eyes watched him get up, watched as he put his mug in the sink and gave the two children a light wave from his glove hand. She watched that same hand awkwardly fall behind his neck, scratching his light blonde hair aggressively. She watched him jingle his keys in his palm and the soft smile form on his face as he thought of the upcoming ride. She watched him leave for the hundredth time, neither of them saying a word.

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"Quistis? Zell? Selphie?" His blue eyes took in the three people, a little shocked.

"Quistis! Zell! Selphie!" She ran up to them quickly as they entered the modernized building. Her black hair flew up as she embraced them all individually. "How are you guys?"

"Rinoa, it's only been a week." Quistis let her strawberry blonde bangs fall in front of her rounded glasses. "I'm assuming you and Squall got the same message?"

Selphie giggled from behind the taller girl. "Hehe, I hope it didn't ruin your vacation." She winked at Rinoa who just smiled back. "Oh! And if you're wondering, Irvine here's too. He's in there." The petite girl pointed back towards the tall, majestic doors behind her.

"Then why are you guys out here?" He moved up towards his fellow SeeDs and next to Rinoa.

Zell was the one who responded. "Waiting for you! Ellone told us to wait until you both got here. Irvine just wanted to sit down. Let's go!"

_Ellone? Of course she's here too. _Squall wasn't eager to move, but he noticed the four others around him were not about to step forward. He inwardly sighed and shifted his light brown bangs back before opening the doors to the office.

Esthar always looked different than the other cities and places he had been to. It was the most scientifically advanced area in the world, the city glowing when not shielded from the naked eye altogether. Squall felt uncomfortable, but he knew that wasn't solely based on the physical environment. He glanced to the right and left and then to the center of the room. A man was sitting there, looking a little too happy, almost comical for a person in such a seat of power.

"Squall!" The man sat up immediately and headed for the teenage boy.

Squall felt his body stiffen then become perfectly stolid as the man hugged him affectionately. "…President Loire."

The formal tone made the president relinquish his grip. He stepped back and gave the younger boy a subdued glare. "Straight to business, huh? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

There were four other people in the room. Two of them were the president's old friends, one was a close member of Squall's old group, and the last person, a girl, was stepping up now, next to the president. He coughed briefly and loosely bent his leg. "You know how important advancement is to Esthar."

They all nodded. This was not new information to any of them.

"It's becoming…inefficient to be using our current energy sources, so it was suggested I give funds to research alternatives. After you guys took care of Sorceress Ultimecia, they were able to rebuild the Lunar Base and refocus on gathering a new energy source for Esthar. He smiled, almost childishly. "And they found it.

"We don't know exactly what it is or where it comes from. But the scientist's on the newly built base detected it using very sensitive material."

Squall straightened his back, "Sir, you do not know where this energy comes from?"

"It's from another planet." President Loire looked around at the teenagers in front of him. "That's where I need you guys."

The girls' eyes widened at his previous sentence. "You need us to go to space?" Rinoa gasped, "To another _planet_?"

"It's perfectly habitable!" Ellone piped up. "It can support life, and it only should take a couple of days to get there with the newest space technology."

Irvine tipped his cowboy hat back and sauntered next to Selphie, "And we have to check it out?"

"We might be able to reproduce it if you bring a sample back." Ellone smiled. "And there might be civilization there, already harvesting it. Any technology on how they use it will be beneficial to keeping Esthar in power."

Squall simply nodded. "When do we start?'

"Well…um," President Loire scratched his head. "As soon as possible, I guess? I have already cleared it with Headmaster Cid." He turned to the side, "Ellone? You'll go?"

She nodded and adjusted her shawl wrapped around her elbows. "Let's go. We'll head to the space station immediately."

Ellone walked them down the connecting hallway, leading them to the ship that would take them up into space. Rinoa moved to the front, connecting her arm with Squall's, "This is kind of exciting, isn't it?"

Squall shrugged. "It's a job."

"I know, but a new planet? There could be aliens or something."

The girl in the yellow dress behind her made a slight squeal. "You think so? You don't think they could be…dangerous, do they?"

"We're SeeDs, Selphie. We're trained for combat." Squall didn't have any GFs though. _They must want us to fight…Laguna must think some fighting may be necessary if he's sending us and not scientists._ His hand tapped the girl in front of him."Ellone?"

The older girl stopped walking and turned to face Squall. "What is it, Squall?"

"We need our weapons and GFs."

"Probably some recovery items too." Quistis added from the back of the group.

Ellone nodded. "We had Garden send those over." She pointed to the room at the end of the wall. "They're in there, along with your transport."

Squall was the first to walk forward. He turned back to the others, knowing they looked up to him as a leader, that they were his team. "Ready?" There seemed to be some reluctance from the faces in front of him.

"Hey!" Rinoa ran up and faced the group next to Squall. "Even if there is some kind of advanced life on that planet, no one's ever been through the kind of stuff we have."

"That's right!" Zell punched the air and his surroundings. "We could take them!"

_There better not be anything._ Squall turned around and opened the door. The connecting room had a glass ceiling and a large ship docked at the end. Night had fallen, and the stars arrived, offering miniscule lighting. Squall glanced through the glass roof, up to the bright celestial lights. _Which one are you? _There were a million questions running through his head. Rinoa soon grabbed his hand, taking away the thoughts about his mission. "This could be easy. We're only assuming someone's there. There could be nothing."

_Doubtful._ But he didn't say it out loud. There was no need to ruin her optimism. "Maybe." The teenager looked back up to the sky and gave a playful smile. "Let's just hope they can't fight."

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**A/N:**

**My first attempt at a crossover! This should be fun :D I'll get working on chapter 2! Reviews are the best!**

**~Mira  
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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

**You know what's not fun? Packing for college and having no free time to actually write...especially when you decide to write two things at once. Thank you, all my patient readers for this next chapter. It may take a while since I'm going to college on...wednesday. oh god.**

**Thankyouthanktyouthankyou my fabulous reviewers:**

**ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie, Silvaria, and vLuna.**

**And a super special thanks to my beta ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie!**

**Disclaimer: I own 0 of the final fantasies.**

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"Teef! Can I have one of those drinks with the tiny pink umbrellas in them?" She batted her eyelashes a bit, "Pleeaaasee. This is a celebration anyway!"

Tifa grinned a bit, "You're eighteen, Yuffie. I can't refuse to serve you." She moved behind the bar and got out an opaque, tall glass out from below.

"Really? Reeve said that he asked you to keep giving me water."

Her back was facing the ninja as she picked up the plastic bottle and poured the clear liquid into the glass, mixing it with a few flavored juices, "Oh? This is a party though."

The bar was loud and packed with suited employees of the WRO and other regulars of Edge. Chuckling laughter filtered through each table as people clinked glasses and reminisced about the new organization's success.

"Please put that away." The deep voice almost halted Tifa's movement, but a quick glance to her left identified the newcomer to the counter.

"Vincent, it's just one drink."

The caped man turned his head to look at the young girl seated next to him. A toothy smile was plastered on her face as she sipped the drink lovingly. Vincent sighed, "Have you met Yuffie?"

"I have. And she's a bright, responsible girl," Tifa softened her voice, "At times…" She cocked her head to her left, while Yuffie wasn't looking, directing Vincent's attention to the seltzer bottle on the back counter, next to the vodka and champagne, "I take care of her." She brought out a wine glass and positioned it in front of the dark haired man, "White or red this time?"

"Red." His eyes watched the equally crimson liquid pour down the dark bottle and into the glass. He drank the wine lightly and then looked back to Tifa. "Where's Cloud?"

She was already mixing another drink and handing it to another WRO employee. "Hm? Cloud? I don't know." Tifa turned back to the counter, "Wow. It's more crowded than I expected. What happened at the WRO?"

Vincent grunted at the new topic. "We've come up with new technology to excavate oil."

"A great thanks to these two here especially." Reeve walked forward, placing Cait Sith on the counter in front of him. The robotic black and white cat swung its legs happily, facing its content controller. "Nothing for me!" Reeve held up his hand at Tifa's offering. "It's really an outstanding achievement. We'll be able to build a pipeline and provide energy for even more isolated towns."

"Barret had called me and said he found a big oil field this time…but can it really be as beneficial as Mako?" Tifa looked at the head of the WRO inquisitively.

Reeve shook his head. "It depends on what you mean by _beneficial_. It won't be as efficient, but it won't be killing the planet at the same rate. I'm also having my people research alternative energy sources from things more…eternal."

Cait Sith suddenly pointed up as the door to the bar swung open, letting the cool air fly into the compacted space. "The lad's back now!"

"Cloud!" Tifa's immediate smile soon vanished as she glanced at the time. "…You're two hours late."

The blonde jostled his keys and placed them back in his pocket. He hurried behind the counter and leaned in as an older man described a new drink order. "A woman gave me a hard time. She said I delivered the wrong present for her son." Cloud hit the tap and let the brown liquid flow into the glass. "I have to go back tomorrow."

"That took you two hours?!" Yuffie jumped from her seat and went up to his side of the counter. "You, sir…" she limply held her finger, wobblingly pointing it in front of his face, "Need to respect your promises!"

Cloud rolled his eyes and looked to Tifa. "Did you give her alcohol?"

"Damn right!" Yuffie wobbled back to her chair and hopped back onto the stool, looking calmly at Vincent. The black haired man downed his wine.

Tifa grabbed a bottle from the other side of the counter, her elbow rubbing against Cloud's back as she passed, "At least you're here now."

"Tifa…"

There was a loud ringing noise as the robotic cat moved to a standing position on the counter, "Now that we're all here together, Reeve would like to make a toast!"

The head of the new department looked uneasily at the big crowd of semi-attentive people. As the former head of the urban development sector of Shinra, he was only partially used to speeches. "The task of the WRO has not been an easy one. Heading a post-apocalyptic world recovering from a lost energy source would be considered a futile mission to most people. Yet through our hard work and planning, we are on the right track to getting Gaia strong again. Thank you all for your continuous effort and your commitment to this planet."

There were a series of loud applause and a few drunken whistles from the crowd. Reeve gave a slight bow and sat back down on the bar stool, "I meant every word."

"And I'm glad you can celebrate your achievement here," Tifa was smiling brightly, wiping up the few spilled drinks on the black counter. "It's great that we can…" her voice stopped as she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned quickly, dark brown hair whipping the air, "Cloud?"

He looked pain stricken, paler than usual and incredibly uncomfortable. His shoulders were tense and high, and his eyes were flickering with uncertainty, "We need to talk."

She briskly nodded, "Of course, go right ahead."

"No," his voice was soft, beckoning her to lower her own, "Not here." He turned to his friends across the counter and pointed to the side door to the left of the bar. "I think I'm out of this, Tifa." Cloud picked up an empty bottle, raising his voice, "Show me where it is?"

Both of them abandoned the bar and walked into the stock room, unseen by most of the unaware customers. Tifa grabbed her hair, twisting it between her fingers. "…You weren't two hours late because you had the wrong order, were you?"

"No…" Cloud's blond bangs cascaded in front of his eyes, "Tifa, something fell. Something fell from the sky."

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Space, although beautiful and mystifying at initial contact, was becoming never-ending for Rinoa. Restless, she approached Squall on the bridge, arms wrapping around his torso, "Tell me we're almost there."

His body stiffened from the first touch, but he felt himself begin to relax in her grasp, "I don't know…Selphie?"

The young girl popped her head around from the pilot's seat, "Yeah? Oh! Um…we should be there soon, maybe only another half hour."

Ellone nodded next to her. _I don't know why she insisted on coming. _"We should try to land in an isolated area, just in case, right, Squall?"

_Why am I always the leader?_ "Yeah, sure," he felt his heart become hard as Rinoa let go of his body and ventured off to the back of the ship._ Rinoa…_

"Whatugoanfthat?" Zell's mouth was half full as he pointed to the small navigation screen. "Selphieshdihfshouldn'tlrgjyou…"

But the girl wasn't paying attention. "Hehe, Irvine! Go back at looking at the engine room!"

Squall felt his body tighten as the high piercing alert noises sounded off through the bridge. Red flashes lightened the cold metal of the ship, reflected in everyone's startled eyes, "What's going on?!"

"Uhh…Oh no!" Selphie grabbed the controls, "An asteroid field! I don't think I can…" But the ship was already hit. A giant space rock collided with the right side, causing the floor to quake and half of the crew to fall over. More noises were ringing through the air, "Squall! Commands!"

He blinked, not really hearing.

"Squall!" Selphie's voice shouted again.

_Rinoa!_ The SeeD ran away from the bridge, through the halls of the ship, scavenging for the girl, "Rinoa!"

"Squall!" She ran forward and grasped the young man in front of her, "What's happening?" The ship shook again, another collision.

He didn't answer. Squall grabbed the young girl's hands tightly and dragged her back to the bridge, "Selphie, status."

Her fingers were fumbling with various keys. "…It's not looking good, Squall…err Commander."

Squall sighed. _Great start to the mission. _"Get the radio. We're abandoning ship." The hand closely wrapped around his own tightened. He switched his gaze back to Rinoa, "Don't worry." His fingers traced through her black hair, "Zell, set the escape pods to the proper coordinates and move out. I'll see everyone in thirty minutes."

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**A/N: **

**I'm gonna write as much as possible. I'll try my best to update this soon! Thanks guys!  
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**~Mira  
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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **

**Okay...so I'm quickly updating this story before I actually move into my dorm at COLLEGE. Sigh. Sorry if I don't update either story in a while...orientation may get chaotic.**

**Thanks to Silvaria and ObsesasiveCompulsiveValkyrie for reviewing! I really, really appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.**

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He didn't expect her to fall on the floor. To be honest, he didn't think she would immediately think of the same thing that was plaguing his mind. "Did you…did…you see it clearly?" her voice was trembling.

"Tifa…" Cloud put his arms around her back, slowly coming closer to her face and chest. His pale cheeks became flushed from the proximity, but the worrisome expression on Tifa's face brought him back to reality, "It was burning. I drove Fenrir closer to it, but the flames were too warm. And I was already late…"

She balanced herself on Cloud's arms before standing, "But this…didn't Sephiroth say…"

"Jenova's a calamity from the sky," Cloud let his grip fall from the girl and looked down, deep in thought, "We need to go back."

Tifa immediately nodded, "Of course. The kids are already asleep. We can go as soon as the party dies down." She gave a bright smile and placed her soft hand on the blond's shoulder, seeing his downtrodden expression, "…It could be something completely innocent, Cloud. Maybe a fallen star."

"That's why I'm not telling anyone else. There's no reason to panic everyone." Cloud went to the shelf and pulled out a glass bottle. "…I'm sorry that you have to come with me."

"Hey," Tifa's voice was sincere, so soft, "Don't ever say that. You can always tell me, and I'll always help you. You know that."

…_I do. But what if this is what I think it is? Can we survive it again?_ He glanced quickly at his reflection in Tifa's sharp brown eyes. _ I'll sure as hell try._

* * *

There were flames all around him. He could feel them encroaching on his body, only stopped by the scrap metal from the destroyed aircraft. _…That was horrible._ His body lurched up from the hard ground, and he touched his face. There were slight scrapes on his temple but nothing compared to the large scar in the middle of his forehead from ages ago. His own pain vanished from a sudden realization.

_Flash._

"_Rinoa! Come with me!"_

_The dark haired girl looked at the escape pod, not amused. "There's not enough room…"_

_Squall shook his head and grabbed her hand. "I can't leave you alone!"_

"_I'll be fine!" She smiled and walked over to the next escape pod, "See? Right next to you!" Rinoa went into the small space craft, closing the metal door._

"_Rinoa!"_

"_Squall!" Selphie was running up, looking frantic. "The coordinates…"_

_His blue eyes became piercing, "Tell me you set them!"_

He shook his head rapidly. "Rinoa…" His eyes were still blurry, still adjusting to the sudden crash. _Shiva…_But the thought of his GF seemed futile. _Shiva…help me cure._ But there was nothing. "Shit." He was getting even warmer now. _…I need help…why isn't my magic…?_

"I got it!" The voice howled over the fire, yet calmed his ears. "Ice 3." She was running towards him now, her dark hair passing in front of her face a little. _Rinoa?_

Her soft hands touched his pale cheek, and he immediately felt a surge of energy through his body and limbs. _This…this feels different._ "Oh no…" he heard the panic in her voice, even as his eyes began to shut. "He's fainting! We have to get him back to the bar!"

He barely had the strength to lift his gloved hand, the sudden surge of powerful energy in his body making him feel weak. His fingers grazed her skin and cheek. "…Rinoa," and then his thoughts were black.

--

There was an orange light swaying back in forth from his closed eyes, making him dizzy but conscious. _Or maybe my head is the thing spinning._ The rush of energy he felt before was slowly vanishing, and the surge was now turning into a soothing relaxant for his muscles. His eye lids were slowly opening, still hazy.

"Hey."

It was the voice from last night. He recognized it immediately. _The one that cast the spell….is she? _He arched his body up and his eyes opened, "Rinoa!"

But the face he saw, although pretty, was not the one he was hoping for. This girl seemed older, more controlled and mature. He saw her deep brown eyes furrow at the word, "Rinoa? Is that your name?"

"No…" he tried to steady his breathing, which was becoming even more rapid. Pellets of sweat dripped from his forehead to his cheekbone. "…Where am I?"

"In Edge," the girl sat on the tip of his bed, looking incredibly concerned, even though he was a perfect stranger to her, "I'm Tifa." She seemed to wait for some sort of recognition, but he didn't giver her any intimation that he knew her. She continued, "You must be involved with Cid's program, huh? That was a horrible crash."

_Cid? _"Headmaster Cid? Yes, he sent me. I'm Squall Leonhart." He no longer had leather gloves over his hands, making his long brown bangs easy to comb back. "…Did he tell you we were coming?" _How is that possible?_

"No, but the airship you had and everything. I just assumed it was a project of his." She stepped off the bed and came closer to his face. Squall became uneasy at the closeness. "But you should rest! I think the cure spell is finally taking effect though. Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

Squall shook his head. "No, no. I need to leave." He jumped from the bed and walked immediately towards the door. He exited the bedroom and walked casually through the hall, his memory flowing back. _This place has life. Life that looks like us…life that acts like us. Did I even leave? _But he noticed that Tifa had no sort of reaction to his name, and back home, he was an acclaimed hero. _But everything's so similar._

He was at the entrance to -_what did she say? A bar?-_ where he saw a man, a little shorter than him. His blond hair was spiked in a crazy pattern, and his blue eyes seemed solely focused on the metal in front of him. _Is that… _"Hey!" Squall's voice returned to a commanding tone. "Can you please give me back my weapon?"

"…What is it?" The blond man seemed unconcerned, eyes trailing from the blade to the trigger.

Squall sighed. _I need to explain myself? To people who are practically aliens? _He shook his head again. _But that girl…she saved my life. _"A gunblade. It's a combination of a sword and fun, allowing you to attack from a short and long distance. Only incredibly trained fighters can use it."

He was surprised to see the man's face brighten. "Really?"

_What is he doing?_ Squall raised his hand in protest, but the blond man was already holding the sword in one hand, feet in a fighting stance. "…It's lighter than what I'm used to."

"…Okay," Squall was slightly impressed at the man's footwork, but more annoyed than anything else. "I need to go now. Thanks for letting me stay here, but I…"

"Who are you?" The blond man was looking at the engraving now, looking at Griever. "You said this could only be used by specially trained fighters. Why have I never heard of you before?"

_Because this is not my home. _Squall knew he couldn't mention anything about SeeD or sorceresses and especially not the current mission. What he needed to do was find his team and get out of here. He settled for, "I don't know." He reached for the hilt of his gunblade, but the blond man stepped back.

"There aren't even any materia slots…" The blond man's blue eyes met Squall's, "Where do you come from?"

…_Crap, back story. _He knew nothing of this world. Anything he would say would be utter bullshit. "My memory's foggy," he reached for the blade again, but the blond man recoiled. "Excuse me, but I really need to…"

"Go where? I thought your memory…"

"SLEEP!" He couldn't deal with this anymore. He had no explanations that this blond man so desperately needed. Squall just needed to get out of there. _I have to do my job. I have to find Rinoa. _ But the blond man didn't fall to the ground, crumbled up in a tight ball from extreme exhaustion. _What?_ Squall raised his hand again, "Sleep!" but there was no magic. "Confuse! Blind" but nothing was working.

"Stop," The blond man didn't even move his arm. There was a weird glow from his glove, and Squall felt his body tighten and all movement cease. "I'd silence you but it looks like your magic doesn't even work. That happens when you don't even have materia. Who are you?" The spell was released.

"I have no need to tell you," the SeeD in him snapped. He had no magic, but he managed to elbow the blond man dexterously before grabbing his weapon. _Shiva…why can't I use my junctions?_

It was early morning, and the streets of the town Tifa called Edge were still and deserted. Squall was running out of the bar and through the dilapidated town certain that the blond man wouldn't be able to catch up to him. _But he can cast magic. But without GFs? How is that possible?_

"STOP!" But this time, it wasn't a spell. The spiky haired man was speeding towards him, a giant sword on his back.

Squall was surprised that he listened. He turned around, light brown bangs falling across his pale face, "What are you doing?"

The blond man took the large sword off of his back, "Stopping you." He causally walked forward, letting the small wind brush his hair back. "No magic, no summons, just one on one. Metal to metal."

Squall smirked a little, "Fine. You asked for it." He turned his gunblade to the ready position. "But I'm giving you a chance to run now. You don't know who you are dealing with."

The stranger's light blue eyes seemed to have a foreign glow as the blond man smiled. "Neither do you."

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**A/N:**

**Hope you guys enjoyed it! I'll try to be back as soon as possible!**

**~Mira**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

**Midterms......**

**That's all I have to say.**

**Thank you soo much to all of my reviewers who's patience far exceeds my own:**

**ObsessiveCompulsiveValkryie, mom calling, Silvaria, Vladimir the Hamster, lady-yuna 7, Portrait of a Scribe, FFVII, and Scribbleness**

**I hope you guys are still around :D It would make me so happy to hear from you!**

**Also, another special thanks to Valk, who is my fabulous and wonderful beta. She's absolutely awesome!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, I swear.**

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This place, wherever it was, seemed hot. And sandy. Way too sandy for her own liking. Rinoa edged herself off the ground and into a sitting position. Her potion was close at hand, and she immediately downed the bottle, recovering most of the energy she had lost from the crash. She spit out a layer of sand in her mouth, "Ugh!"

The collision wasn't horrible, nothing bad at all. There were no fires or smoke or alarms. The door simply fell open as it crashed on the sandy shore, causing her to roll out.

"Rinoa?"

Her head immediately turned to face the taller girl. Ellone walked cautiously to her, arms still wrapped around her sheer shawl. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Rinoa nodded and brushed back the shorter pieces of her black hair, "But where are the others? Where are we?"

"On the other planet…I believe. The others must have landed somewhere else..."

"Hey! Ellone! Rinoa!" Irvine ran up to them, holding on to his cowboy hat with one hand and his gun in the other. His cowboy boots crunched down on the sandy surface of the shore. "What the hell happened? Where's Selphie?"

Rinoa eyes turned downwards, "…I don't know. Maybe she's wherever Squall is. Have you seen anyone?"

He shook his head, causing light brown hair to fly from the loose ponytail, "No one."

"Hey!" The young martial artist came running toward the group of his deserted friends, a look of clear fear written on his face.

Irvine lifted an eyebrow, "Zell? Sorry man, I didn't know that you were…"

"No!!" Zell grabbed Rinoa's hand, "There's…something…following…me!" His breathe was restless, and he constantly gasped for even more oxygen even as he came to a complete stop.

The girl took her hand away from his grip, "_Something?_ Like a monster? Zell, whatever it is I'm sure we'd be able to…"

"No!" The spiky blond ran to the other side of the group and peered over the sandy hills, "This…this thing is insane. It had two arms, and one of them had spikes all around it! I'm serious guys…I tried calling my GF too, but it didn't even work."

Rinoa blinked, "What?"

"None of my magic did."

The young girl's eyes immediately turned to Ellone, desperate for an answer, but the other girl's gaze was fully focused on the shadow looming over the hill. The figure moved agilely towards them, quickly picking up speed with each dexterous step. Rinoa's instincts felt for the blaster edge on her arm, but she felt nothing but bare skin. _Squall…where are you?_

--

"No magic."

"I already said that."

"Or…" He paused, not entirely sure of their existence, "…Supplements."

The blond man's smile faded, and his eyes flashed downward, "I can't change that."

_What? _ "I mean … liquid medicine."

"Oh, like potions and phoenix downs?" The blond looked back up at his competitor, "Right, of course. Just you and me." His massive sword was suddenly placed in the ready position, "Your move."

Squall fixed his footing and tightened the grip on his gunblade. His feet immediately sprang into flight, charging ruthlessly towards the older blond with sheer aggression. _Get this over with quickly_. His finger moved towards the cool trigger as he began to swipe his arm with the sword. Timing was everything, and it was extremely rare for Squall to get that wrong. There was a loud crack of the metal bullet leaving the barrel, but the blade made no collision causing Squall to stumble. The frontward motion of his sword practically caused him to roll forward. There was no object taking the blow, no impact to stop the motion. _Where did he…?_

A sudden collision to his side brought him physically to the ground. "Just tell me who you are." The blond man's voice was still relatively level, even after the burst of physical energy.

Squall rolled to his side to avoid another hit, "That's none of your business." He was back on his feet, whirling his sword forward, not bothering with the trigger. Squall needed to keep track of his footwork just to keep on par. His blue-grey eyes caught the edge of the other man's giant sword, and he quickly held up his gunblade to block. There was a whistle of cool metal when both silver blades collided. _…who is this guy? _

Both of their strength seemed to match, neither sword budging the slightest inch from the sudden stalemate. Squall felt the drip of cool sweat form on his brow, "Just let me go…who I am has nothing to do with you."

There was a sudden click, and Squall tore his eyes away from the stand still. The blond man was moving his left hand away from the hilt, hastily snapping the side of his sword. Squall jumped back, realizing what just happened. _What kind of sword is this?_

He had two blades now, one locked on to Squall's own weapon, and the other swiping towards the SeeD's side. _Fuck. _ His dodge caused the gunblade to fall from his grip, idling right out of hands reach. Dust was covering his body now, and his leg felt crushed from the messy roll. The SeeD's eyes saw the faint glow of energy shine from his attacker's. Something in Squall clicked. "What are you?"

The blond didn't reply directly, "…This world has finally become peaceful. I'm just making sure it stays that way." The two blades united with a single click, and the blond ran forward.

Squall shuffled from the ground and back to his feet, but the blond was already too close. He had no time left to dodge, no time to reach for his gunblade or even…

"CLOUD!"

His attacker stopped dead in his tracks, spiky blond hair turning frantically towards the familiar voice, "Tifa?" The giant sword fell to the ground, and the ruthless fighter seemed to bow his head in embarrassment.

"What are you doing?"

It was that girl again…that girl who saved him. _She does look like Rinoa…but no. _The man seemed to be completely distracted, leaving Squall with an opening. The SeeD rolled slightly to grab his gunblade and quickly sped forward. The blond was completely turned towards the girl, standing right in front of her now. _Doesn't he remember we're fighting?_

Squall quickly dismissed the thought. _They live together…obviously he must…_ He shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking of those things when he had a mission. His feet carried him silently towards the distracted blond, getting closer, so close that he couldn't believe his actions would be going unnoticed.

"What?" The girl's eyes widened and she shifted in front of the blond. Her leg was suddenly raised and hammered into Squall's abdomen, sending him flying backwards into the dirt, "Who are you?!" To say she looked pissed would be an incredible understatement. Her fists were clenched at her sides, dark brown eyes seething with an unidentifiable rage, "Who...ARE YOU?"

Squall felt his throat clog. Just watching this girl, her sudden protectiveness, her gleaming brown hair fly in the soft wind…it had a strange impact on him, "I…"

"What were you doing? Were you just going to kill him?!" She kicked the ground close to his face, as if to give him a slight threat. "Don't you think he has a life? A family?"

"Tifa…" The blond touched her shoulder, a sad attempt at comfort, "It was my idea."

"I don't care! I don't care anymore," Her eyes whipped away from Squall's fallen body and gazed back at the blond, "I just…I…" She shook her head, "Just try to remember that people care about you, Cloud. We don't want you hurt."

The blond nodded, "…I know."

"Even you must have someone, right?"

Squall twisted his body around, a little surprised she was talking to him, "…Yeah." _Rinoa…where are you?_

Tifa crossed her arms, "Then you're both stupid. Let's go back inside. We'll talk like people, not like fighters, for once."

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**A/N:**

**Guess who's gonna spend her friday night locked in her dorm writing? Yes, me. See ya soon!**

~Mira  



	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**

**I'm so glad I could get this next part to you guys so quickly! I just want to thank all of my reviewers and readers again for being such wonderful people. You reminded me of why I love doing this so much :D Thank you! :  
**

**FFVII, mom calling, kitsune 13, Silvaria, ObsessiveCompulsiveValkryie, Sorceress Rinoa Heartily, and Clockwork Phoenix.**

**I write for you :) And a special thanks, as always, to Valk for being a fantastic beta!  
**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine. Though I wouldn't complain if I owned just a _little _bit. **

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The girl drummed her fingers repetitively on the counter, waiting for one of the men to crack, to show the slightest urge to talk. They were seated right in front of her, like two children in time out, nervous at the sudden lecture their mother may announce to them. Her attention broke from the table as the kettle steamed from behind her. She lifted the metal pot with meticulous grace and handed the blond man a steaming cup of something similar to tea. _Do they even have tea here?_ But they seemed to have everything else here…which was very strange. _And didn't she say she knew Headmaster Cid?_ Squall's gaze narrowed. _Maybe this is some kind of trick…or training session._

He still couldn't believe what happened. Was he seriously just knocked back ten feet by _her_? She seemed so calm, so loving. And yes, Rinoa was a fighter, but Squall was pretty sure he could take her in a fight any day. This one? He had his doubts.

"Do you like tea?"

The SeeD's reflexes were still on edge. He flinched up a little at her voice, "Yes…" Squall watched her hand him a mug, which he took willingly. He didn't realize how hungry and thirsty he was until now.

"Well…" Tifa walked over casually to the table, looking closely at the blond. _I wonder if they're…no, don't even think about that_. "I suppose we can't expect you to reveal who you are if you don't know anything about us, right?" She nudged the blond a little, who grumpily lowered his head.

His bright blue eyes turned back to Tifa, "I'm surprised he doesn't."

_What? _The girl seemed to sense his confusion, "What he's trying to say is…I'm Tifa Lockhart. I already introduced myself to you, yes?"

"Yeah…but to be honest, I've never heard of you before." The sudden compulsion to tell the truth to these strangers -to these strangers he knew nothing about- was almost overwhelming. His calm eyes turned to a glare when directed to the blond in front of him, "And you?"

The blond man looked at him, not amused, "…Cloud."

_That's his name?!_ Squall managed to suppress the light laughter inside him, "Wait… seriously?"

Cloud got up from the chair and turned back to Tifa, "Do we really have to do this, Tifa? We should be calling Reeve right now…Let the WRO take care of it."

"Weren't you the one saying how we shouldn't let anyone know about what fell? _He's_ what fell, Cloud. Unless you forgot that?"

The blond shook his head.

"Good, then sit." She pointed back to the chair commandingly, "It's Squall, right?" Her smile seemed so genuine, despite the previous burst of frustration.

Cloud laughed, "_Squall_? And you made fun of my name? Can I call you Monsoon? Maybe Hurricane?"

"Only if I can call you a visible mass of rain and ice particles." Squall smirked, but then went back to a more serious tone under Tifa's glare, "It's Squall Leonhart." He held his hand out across the table to the blond.

Cloud looked at the gloved hand with sheer boredom and reached for his mug of tea instead. "Cloud Strife….doesn't ring any bells?"

The SeeD paused for a second. _Are they famous?_ "Are you guy's actors?"

Tifa laughed and moved her way over to Squall, "No! What makes you think that?"

"…What you keep saying…about how I should know…" It hit him. _Wait…_ What Cloud had been saying before…about how this world was finally at peace. His fighting skills, Tifa's fighting skills…it only made sense. "You're heroes."

"Heroes? That sounds even better," Tifa pulled up a chair next to the brown haired man, earning a slight gasp for air from her blond friend. "So you have heard of us?"

Squall placed his mug back down and pushed back his bangs, "…Well, no. You must have heard of me though. Headmaster Cid must have told…"

"Headmaster Cid?" Tifa blinked in confusion and laughed lightly again, "Why are you calling him that?"

"It's his title, isn't it?"

The girl only looked more confused, "I've heard Captain Cid or Cid the Chimney or even F-ing Cid, but never headma…"

"His name is Cid Highwind, a famous pilot from our world," Cloud interrupted, staring blankly at the tea in his mug. "It's not the same man."

_Obviously not._

Cloud continued, "That thing that fell, Tifa…it wasn't Cid's. Not _our _Cid's at least. Where are you from?"

"That's a confusing topic…" Squall sipped the tea lightly. "I'm not exactly sure I'm privileged to relay that information."

Cloud huffed, "He's like a SOLDIER…aren't you?"

The brown haired man looked away. He had been called a soldier many times; a mercenary, war hero…all of these things. "Yes."

Tifa blinked, "So Shinra sent you?"

"Who?"

"No, no, Tifa," Cloud looked up, the energized eyes fiercely piercing into Squall's pale complexion. "You're not from this world. Where the hell are you from?"

Squall glanced to the warm mug, to the pictures of children lining the counters and the finger paints on the wall. _I…I can't blow this mission. _He glanced to Tifa quickly, and he felt his body crack.

* * *

Her body immediately tensed as the figure came rushing towards them. She could see the thorny arm aim being raised higher and higher into the air…until suddenly it flew off. _What? _The arm detached from the figure and came spiraling towards them, making a whirling noise through the humid wind. "DUCK!" Rinoa dropped to the ground, covering her head with her hands.

The arm collided with the sand behind them, not harming any of them…not physically at least. "See!" Zell's head popped up a little from beneath the sand, "I wasn't exaggerating! Look at that thing! It's a hideous monster!"

"HEY!"

There was a high pitched scream as the monster came into arm's reach. "Who the heck are you calling hideous, tattoo man?" The figure rolled behind them, grabbing the pointed arm and letting it shine in the sun.

Ellone was still covering her eyes, "…Who are you?"

"Who am I?" The figure giggled, "So glad you asked! I am the wonderful, magnificent, great ninja Yuffie!"

At that, Rinoa stood up, brushing the excess sand off her skirt and light blue duster. "…Um…you're a girl."

"Great observation….whoa…you look….whoa!" The young girl cocked her head to the side, examining Rinoa's face even closer. "Soooo weird. Do you happen to know a Tifa Lockhart by any chance?"

Rinoa backed away, her proximity to the 'ninja' making her feel uncomfortable, "…No…I don't."

The ninja shrugged, "Eh…whatever. It doesn't matter. The real point is that you guys are right by _my_ materia cave, and that's one of the top things you _don't _do. You just don't."

Irvine finally lifted his head and joined Rinoa in a standing position, "So sorry, young lady." He walked closer to the disgruntled ninja and cracked a toothy smile, "How can I…I mean, we, possibly make it up to you?"

The young girl smirked, "I only ask two things. For one…" She lifted her leg and slammed it into Irvine's shin, "You do _not_ call me a lady. I'm a ninja…no lady here, okay?" She walked causally away and back in front of Rinoa, "Number 2, you leave Wutai and stay away from my materia! Got that?"

"Eh…technically that's three things," Zell held up his hand but still seemed totally averse to standing up.

Yuffie sighed, "Whatever, just leave. Now!"

"Wait, please!" Rinoa held up her hands pleadingly, "We're lost. All we want to do is find our friends. We don't want your material!"

Yuffie looked at her, confused, "My material? …Err okay…" Yuffie sat on the ground, "If you guys were lost, you should have just said so. Wutai's a foreign place for many people."

Rinoa laughed. _You have no idea. _"Thanks for understanding…" Rinoa looked at the ninja a little confused. It was strange how her sudden fury vanished when she realized they weren't after her precious…whatever. "Could you help us?"

The girl looked at them individually and shrugged, "Let's see…Help my old man…or travel with a bunch of foreign people I just met seconds ago after attacking them. The second option seemed to work before…So, sure! Any idea where they could be?"

_No…I don't know anything here._ She decided to be vague. "I think they said they were heading to a city…but I don't remember which one." _A city has resources at least…phones…at least they should. Maybe not here, but it's worth a shot._

"A city?" Yuffie crossed her arms, "Like…Junon? Or maybe Edge?"

The other girl turned back to her friends, but none of them had any idea of which city they should helplessly search for first, "I'm sorry…I seriously have no clue."

"Eh, no biggie. I'll pick for you!" Yuffie smiled, "We'll go to Edge. I have some friends there that might know how to help you out better than I can. Plus, someone said they'd meet me there the next time I go." She gave a light squeal and ran off in the sand, "Hurry! The old man's gonna notice that I'm gone-slash-stealing the Wutai airship eventually!"

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**A/N:**

**Props to Silvaria for guessing the figure to be Yuffie! Oh, and I noticed a lot of people are wondering why the GF don't work...I'll get to that in a little while. Let's just say that the previous statement isn't _completely_ true.**

**So...where are Selphie and Quistis??? Any guesses?**

**Please review and see ya soon!  
~Mira  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:**

**I'm back :D And another lovely thanks to my beta, ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie. She's marvelous.**

**And to all my reviewers?? You guys are also awesome:**

**Silvaria, mom calling, ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie, Clockwork Phoenix, Portrait of a Scribe, FFVII, and Sorceress Rinoa Heartily.**

**And now I'm actually going to respond to the questions you ask me:**

**Silvaria: Eh...I was kind of cheap on the guessing game this time around. But let me see if I can come up with another question to ask you! And you did sort of predict one part...**

**mom calling: I'm actually not too good with 8 (but my lovely beta is), but then again it's hard to be so involved with Gaia and then another world... Thanks though :D**

**ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie: I already replied to you :P Just kidding, I'm really happy your finding this funny! I feel like I have to force myself to be a little humorous, but I love writing humor! Thanks so much again for editing and your awesome review!**

**Clockwork Phoenix: Tifa always does the lecturing, doesn't she? :D Glad you're liking it so far!**

**Portrait of a Scribe: eh...I tricked ya, sorry! It's okay! I appreciate any review. Dissidia is an awesome game! If only I had it in English...**

**FFVII: She's really fun to write! I'm happy you like her!**

**Sorceress Rinoa Heartily: Yuffie helps people...in her own way. Squall and Cloud are just silly boys :P They'll be friends one day...or will they?**

**Thanks so much again!**

**  
Disclaimer:Maybe one day....but not today.**

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This place was quiet. No one was there to bother him about missions or his sense of style or his introversion. It was just him, walking through the dimly lit streets of Kalm, no worries reflected on his face or in his mind. _This is what a vacation should be like._ Vincent had been counting the days for this moment. He finally had a break from the WRO and his less than compatible partner after the jubilant Seventh Heaven party. Though there was something unsettlingly about his attire, he had retired his cape and gold pointed boots for a more subdued outfit. The last thing he needed was a horde of people begging him for his autograph.

Vincent breathed out softly, letting the clean air flow through his lungs and back out his nose. His hands fit carefully into the pockets of his dark trousers, jostling the keys to his hotel room and adding to his newly discovered carefree attitude. He walked slowly, taking patience with every step, enjoying the lax nature of his current condition. But the mob ahead of him threatened to dismantle his calm state.

There was a swarm of people ahead of him, whispering and pointing forward to a thin cloud of smoke he hadn't noticed in the dark. Vincent let his instinct take control and pushed his way to the front of the crowd. His ears spliced together bits of information from the surrounding natives of Kalm. _Something fell? _ "What is going on?" the pale man turned to an old woman to his left.

Her eyes widened at the greeting, confused by this newcomer's appearance, "It's the second time this has happened in two days! No one believed me the first time, but this second meteorite proves it!"

_Meteorite? _ "Do you mean to tell me that the thing over there is a meteor?" Memories of Sephiroth and the black materia came flooding back, "Are you sure?"

She frowned at Vincent's deep voice, "No one will go near enough to the thing to make sure, not after we all saw Midgar become as flat as a pancake…Hey! Where are you going?"

The dark haired man ran towards the smoking rubble, hand reaching for Cerberus on his leg holster. The smell of burnt rubber consumed the air around him, but Vincent didn't flinch; he had smelled a lot worse living in a coffin for thirty years. But the nature of the smell made him wonder. _This is not a rock, is it?_ His mind quickly determined that whatever was burning in front of him wasn't from Sephiroth.

"Hello?"

Any other person would have jumped, maybe even screamed, but Vincent only turned, crimson eyes glancing around to see where the voice had come from. It was most definitely feminine, that was easily ascertainable. "Hello?" Vincent echoed back, only to be answered by a slight squeal.

"Oh yay! You can understand me!" There was a loud rustle from the back of the crash, and a small teenage girl hopped up, flattening out her yellow dress. "Quistis! Quistis, come out!"

The girl suddenly fell back on the ground, being pulled from some unseen force, "AH! Quistis, let go! This guy looks nice! He'll help us!"

"Nice?" There was another voice behind the small flickers of fire and shards of metal. This one sounded older, and, frankly, wiser, "He has a _gun_. That doesn't exactly suggest he's friendly."

The other girl sighed and dragged a taller girl up with her, "I think we've faced worse and I don't really feel like sitting in the dirt anymore." _This girl_…it was making Vincent cringe. She was short, which a lot of people are, but she had a certain hop, a certain energy in her step that made his mind flicker back to his partner. _I can't ever escape, can I?_

"Hi! I'm Selphie Tilmitt!" She held out her hand to the dark stranger, but slowly moved it back to her side, seeing his reluctance. "…Err…we had a little, um…_car_ accident."

The other girl, presumably named Quistis, walked forward but kept her distance from Vincent, "Selphie…"

"Yes? Oh!" Selphie turned back and grabbed her hand, "This is Quistis Trepe! We were…traveling together." The short girl in the yellow dress moved closer, "It would be great if you could help us out."

"Selphie!"

She blinked, "What?"Her light brown hair bounced up as she turned. The girl gave Vincent a bright smile and then approached her cautious friend.

Vincent's grip on Cerberus fell. There was definitely not going to be any use for it, not with his current impression of these girls. He stepped closer to where the two girls with standing, careful not to touch the dying embers and melted pieces of iron. The two girls were talking in raised whispers, making overhearing quite easy, "Selphie…we don't even know anything about this man, and you want to go with him?"

The shorter girl gave one look in Vincent's direction, blushed, and swiftly replied, "Yes. Yes, I do."

"We don't even know his name!"

Selphie just smiled, "Um, hey! What's your name?"

The dark man inwardly sighed, "…Vincent."

"See! Vincent! And what a nice name it is! Do you possibly have a way of getting us to the nearest town? Like a train or anything?"

Vincent turned around and simply pointed forward, "There. That's Kalm right there. Surely you know where you were headed?"

"That's the thing." Quistis was the one to answer him this time, "…I think we have a minor case of amnesia. I remember my name and everything, just not exactly where we were going. We were supposed to meet our friends somewhere, weren't we Selph?"

The shorter girl only nodded and walked closer to the tall man. She grabbed his uncovered hand and gently turned him around, "Mhm. It was all very sudden…Isn't there some city you could take us too? Maybe we could find a specialist there who could… um, cure us." She turned to her friend briefly, whispering two distinct words. Vincent focused his eyes in confusion in an attempt to read lips.

_Power city?_ _Maybe they meant Midgar? Or what's left of it. But wait…_ "Is there any obligation for me to help you?"

His bluntness made the two girls freeze. The one with blonde hair spoke, "Well, we are stranded, but I'm sure if you just point us in the right direction, we'll…"

"Get horribly, horribly lost! It will be incredibly gentlemanly if you helped us!"

His red eyes flashed from her innocent face back towards the wreckage. The scraps of metal were completely destroyed, no form of a car apparent. _How did they survive…What did they hit?_ He remembered what the lady said…about the meteor. Something wasn't piecing together. "Very well. I shall accompany you. I happen to know a man who has dealt with many memory problems before." He began walking forward, ignoring the slight giggle trailing behind.

* * *

She blinked quickly at the strangers around her and gave a thin smile. "Must be your first time on an airship, huh? I guess they're kinda cool in the oh-my-god-why-is the-room-spinning kind of way." Yuffie crossed her legs and lifted them onto a metal side table next to her seat. Her new friends looked at her and then the surroundings, not really impressed. _What's up with them?_

The older-looking girl spoke, "…Yes, quite impressive!"

"Er…right." Yuffie hoped up, bored at the awkward glances and silence of the group. _Jeez…at least AVALANCHE was friendly._ "So, um…what are your names?"

"Ellone," the older girl with shawl offered Yuffie her hand. The ninja took it clumsily and just smiled, waiting for the rest to speak.

There was a slight mutter from the man with the tattoo on his face, "…Zell."

"Zell? Okay…You? It's not Tifa, right?"

The black haired girl looked at her weirdly and shook her head, "No…I'm Rinoa Heartilly."

"And I'm Irvine Kinneas, but just Irvine is fine," the man in the hat was moving closer to her. _What does he think he's doing?_ "And you're Yuffie…"

She curtly nodded, "Mhm. Yuffie."

"Yuffie, what? I mean, it's not so often I try to get to know girls…I guess you could call me a sort of loner."

_Loner?_ She blinked. "No, no. A loner is a guy who doesn't talk. You know the whole, 'leave me alone…you're an annoying little girl!' that whole deal." Yuffie blinked at Irvine and scooted back a little. She eyed him harshly with her dark eyes and then huffed. _Vincent's a loner…_ "Yuffie's fine. _Or_ Yuffie the Great Ninja. That is also acceptable."

"Miss Kisaragi?" A pilot for the airship boarded and sat in the front seat.

The ninja flinched back, "…yes?"

"Directly to Edge?"

She nodded and ignored Irvine's strong gaze on her face, "Kisaragi?" He gave her a slight grin.

"Shut up," Yufffie leaned forward and waved to the pilot, "Yes, yes! To Edge as quickly as possible."

The pilot nodded and started up the giant plane, "Yes, Miss Yuffie." Soon the airship was hovering gently over the air, gliding swiftly towards the other side of Gaia.

"Yuffie Kisargi…really a nice name."

The ninja ignored his sweet talk, too distracted by the bubbling sensation swirling through her stomach. Her face contorted into a pale green color, and she curled her lips inwards.

The 'loner' next to her failed to notice her expression, "Really such a sweet name. You're not the type of girl that gets sick of compliments, are you? Because you could just tell…"

His words suddenly stopped when he saw Yuffie blanch. The gooey mess fell from her mouth and plopped haphazardly all over the metal floor and Irvine's boots. The ninja casually wiped her mouth, too accustomed to her motion sickness to be surprised, "Does that answer your question?"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Let me see a question...Oh! I have one: who do you think promised to meet Yuffie at Edge? **

**alright that was an easy one... how about: what do you think will happen when all of them finally meet? Any drama (well...of course), love (..hmmm), more fighting?? Let me know!**

**Thanks so much for reading guys! I'll get started on the next part**

**~Mira  
**


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